Table game



F. c. MILLER 2,655,379

TABLE GAME Oct. 13, 1953 Filed Nov. 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l I. I v .7

(3 INVENTOR.

FRANCIS C. MILLER F. C. MILLER Oct. 13, 1953 TABLE GAME 2 Sheets-$heet 2Filed Nov. 7, 1951 JNVENTOR. FRANCIS C. MILLER ATTORNEY Patented Oct.13, 1953 'UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,855,379 I TABLE GAME Francis 0.Miller, Red Lion, Pa. 7

Application November 7, 1951, Serial No. 255,198

Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus and, moreparticularly. to game apparatus in which a game or player piece ismovable upon a. miniature field or the like so as to engage a playingpiece and simulate various kinds of actual games. For example, gamessuch as hockey, tennis, baseball, football, golf and the like may besimulated realistically in miniature by using the principles of thepresent invention.

Various kinds of miniature game apparatus have been devised heretoforefor purposes of simulating the playing of games of the nature referredto and such apparatus has included miniature playing fields, miniaturegame or player pieces, playing pieces, and means to move or manipulatethe same. However, as far as is known, none of these previously devisedapparatus have been of such nature that they realistically simulate theimitated game to a very complete extent. That is, in an actual game ofhockey, a player not only moves relative to a playing field but alsoswings a stick so as to engage a playing piece or puck from anyconceivable position on the field in an effort to shoot the same into agoal and thus score against opposing players. None of the previouslydevised games permit such swinging movement of a game or player piecefrom any position on a game board so as to engage a playing piece suchas a puck or the like in a manner to shoot it toward or into a goal.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a gameapparatus gincluding a miniature playing field-surface and number oi.game or player pieces which may b moved not only linearly on said fieldbut alsotin swinging fashion to engage a playing piece and drive ittoward or into a goal, for example.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a game orplayer piece for use in a simulated game and so construct the piece thatrotation thereof may be made to effect such swinging action with aminimum of friction relative to the playing surface.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a game orplayer piece actuator which is manually slidable beneath the surface ofa game board and so arranged that a magnetic head thereon may attract aplayer piece and also be rotated at will so as to effect a rotative orswinging movement of said player piece positioned anywhere on the uppersurface of the game board. 4

It is a further object of the invention to provide said game pieceactuator with means to position the head relative to a manually holdablehandle so that the head thereon will automatically be positioned in anormal position until such time as rotation of the head is desired by acontestant manipulating the actuator.

It is a still further object of the invention to so construct theplaying field, game piece. and game piece actuator of the novel gameapparatus that the same are simple in construction, rugged and durableand relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention as well as otherobjects thereof are set forth in the following specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an exemplary gameapparatus embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the exemplary apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a game or player piece actuator comprisingpart of the present invention and illustrated on a larger scale than inFigs. 1 and 2..

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the actuator shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the manner ofengagement of the actuator with a, game piece, the simulated figure onthe game piece being shown in said figure in edge view.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the head of the actuatorand the game piece rotated to the view shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the structure shown inFig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the game piece per se taken on the line9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but illustrat ing another embodimentof game piece.

In illustrating and describing the present invention, an exemplary gameboard, game pieces, playing piece, and actuators have been selected torepresent a miniature ice hockey game. However, it is to be understoodthat the principles of the present invention could be applied readily toother similar miniature games sim'ulating, for example, baseball,football, tennis. golf, field hockey and the like.

I Referring to Fig. 1, a supporting surface III is shown which may beany suitable surface such as a card table by which the game apparatus is3 supported. 1;-' 1he apparatus per se includes a game board l2 ,whichis preferably formed from a relatively thin-and non-metallic sheet whichis smooth on bdtiigfsurfaces and particularly the upper surface. Asuitable lacquer coating provides a' desirable surface. ,Waxingalsoimproves the surface. The game board is provided with suitable fieldmarkings l4 and fl, goals l3, side strips 23 andends 22, the latterpreferably being transparent for purposes to be described.

The game board is supported by a plurality of preferably detach-ablewire legs 24, the upper ends of which may be frictionally insertedwithin suitable holes provided within the side strips 23 and provides asturdytype of support forthe game board notwithstanding the fact thatplay upon the board is frequently very active and vigorous and requiresfirm anchorage of the game board; A score board 28 is also provided andmay detachably be secured to one of the side strips 23 by any suitableclamping means.

The game also comprises game or player pieces 30 which, in the.exemplary illustration herein simulate ice hockey players. These playerpieces are rugged but simple in construction and comprise a cylindricalbase 32 in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 through 9. Said basemay be formed from tubular fiber or synthetic resinous material or anyother suitable substance but preferably the same is non-metallic. Aplayer simulating sheet like piece 34 has a base portion which may bepositioned between the inner surfaces of the base 32 so as to extenddiametrically thereacross as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 9. Cement orother means may be used to affix the piece 34 to the base 32. In theexemplary illustration, the player simulating piece 34 includes aportion representing a stick 36 which projects radially from the base 32and comprises a playing piece engageable means. I 1

Fixed to the lower portion of the base 32 and extending preferablydiametrically across the same is a metallic magnetizable member 33which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a barmagnet. In order to render the manipulation of each player piece 33 moreeffective, said bar magnet is preferably of a composition which may bestrongly magnetized such as that sold in the trade under the trade nameAlnico and composed of iron, aluminum, nickel and cobalt. The ends ofthe magnetizable member 33 are fixed to the walls of the base 32 in anyeffective manner such, for example, as forming holes in the sides andinserting the ends of the member 38 therethrough. Cement may also beemployed either wither without the use of such holes, however.

A pivot 40 is also fixed to the member 33 intermediately of the endsthereof so as to be disposed substantially centrally of the base 32 andsaid pivot projects below the bottom plane of the base 32 whereby, whenthe player piece 32 is placed upon the game board l2 as shown in Figs. 6and 9 particularly, the base of the player piece will engage the uppersurface of the board at two points only, one of these being the pivot 40and the other a spot on the lower periphery of the base 32. It will thusbe seen that a minimum of friction will exist between the base and theupper surface of the game board l2. .Pivot 40 may be formed in variousways but in the preferred embodiment, said pivot may simply comprise aspot of cementor glue which is placed upon the ma'gnetizablemember 33and then dipped in loose flock so as to form a somewhat felt-like pivot43 when the cement or glue dries. Further, the stick 32 is preferablyshaped so that the lower edge thereof is slightly spaced above the uppersurface of the game board l2 in all positions of the player piecerelative to the game board.

Another embodiment of player piece is illustrated in Fig. 10 wherein thesheet-like piece 34 simulating a player is similar to that illustratedin the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 through 9 but the base 42 of theembodiment in Fig. 10 is formed so as to be cup-shaped as shown incrosssection in said figure.

For example, the cupshaped' base 42 may be molded from syntheticresinous material and the magnetizable member 33,'which is preferablyiabar magnet, is placed within the cup so as preferably to rest upon andextend diametrically across the bottom of the 42 and is of similarnature to thepivot of the embodiment in Figs. 5 through 9.

The game further comprises a plurality of game piece. actuators whichare best shown in enlarged manner in Figs. 3 through 8. These endis-bent so as to provide a pintle 52 which shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6.

extends transversally to the axis of the rod 43. Inynormal play, thepintle 52.v will be disposed vertically when-the actuators 44 arepositioned adjacent the undersurface of the game board l2 as Eachactuator isprovided with a head 54 which is polygonal in cross-sectionor plan view as shown in'Figs. 3, '7 and 8. In the preferred embodiment,the shape of the head 54 in plan view. is quadrangular, two of theopposite comers 56 are sharp' while the other two corners 53 preferablyare rounded somewhat as clearly shown in said figures. A groove 53 isalso provided in the upper surface of the head 54 and extends betweenthe rounded comers 53 thereof to receive a bar magnet 62 which is alsopreferably of a strongly .magnetizable type formed from .theaforementioned alloy known in the trade as Alnico. The magnet 62 isfixed to the head by any suitable means such as friction or cement andprojects a slight distance above the upper surface of the head 54 asclearlyshown in Figs. 5 and 6. In order to reduce friction to a minimum,a thin strip 64 of felt or other friction reducing material is ce entedto the upper'surface of the magnet 6 said strip 64 slidably engaging theunder surface of the game board 12 during the operation of the actuators44.

The upper surfaces of the head 54, in the preferred embodiment, slopeslightly downward frcmthe edges of the groove 60, as clearly shown inFigs. 5 and 6,,in' order to facilitate only the engagement of the strip64 with the under surtors relative to the under surface of the gameboard.

Each of the heads 54 has a hub 88 fixed to and depending therefrom andsaid hub is provided with a bearing aperture 88 which receives thepintle 52 for free rotation of the head relative to the pintle. Thedepth of the bearing aperture 88 is less than the length of the pintleand a stop 18 is fixed to and depends from the hub 88 so as tobe-engageable with at least one side of the portion 12 of th rod 48.When disposed against said one side of said portion 12, the stop 18 willdispose the head in normal position relative to the rod 48 as shown inFigs. 5 and 7.

The head 54 isnormally rotatively biased or urged in one direction so asto dispose the stop 18 against the portion 12 of rod 48 by mechanicalmeans comprising an elastic member 14 which may be a spring or, asillustrated in the preferred embodiment, comprises an elastic band orconnected series thereof which is fixed at one end to a pin 18projecting radially from the hub 68 and the other end of th band 14 isfixed to another pin 18 secured to the handle 48 as shown in Fig. 3.

The head 54 is manually rotated in the opposite direction by means of aflexible cord 88 which is at least partially wound around the hub 86 asshown in Figs. 3. through 8 and one end thereof is secured to the pin 18on the hub. The other end of the cord 88 is connected to a fingerengaging ring 82, said ring being movably supported relative to handle48 by another flexible cord or string 84 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and4. The length of the cord 88 may be adjusted by a holding member 86through which the cord 88 is threaded as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4so that the member 88 frictionally engages the cord to hold any desiredadjustment of the length thereof in accordance with well knownprinciples.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the ring 82 ispulled by a finger of the operator or contestant as shown in Fig. 4, thehead 54 will be rotated counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 3, 7 and 8so as to likewise rotate the magnet 62 which extends across the axis ofthe pintle 52. Upon releasing the ring 82 to a sufficient extent thatthe ring may move outward away from the handle 48, the elasticmember 14will rotate the head 54 in the opposite direction. In playing aminiature game of ice hockey with the above described game apparatus,the game board I2 is set up in operative position and fixed by thesuction cups 28 to a suitable surface l8 such as a card table. A cardtable is very suitable inasmuch as it is lower than an average table andwhen players sit on normal chairs, the playing surface of the game boardI2 is in a convenient position for the players and the length of thelegs 24 of the game board is preferably about 6 or 7 inches in order toprovide adequate space between the table surface and the game board l2to permit the opposing contestants to hold the actuators 44 within saidspace. The selected number of player pieces 38 are disposed on the boardin conventional starting position for an ice hockey game. It has beenfound in practice that four players on each side is more desirable thanthe conventional number. The contestants sit at opposite ends of thetable and each contestant is provided with two actuators 44 which arerespectively held in his right and left hands. 'I'he.actuator held inthe left hand of the player is arranged so that upon pulling the ring82, the head 54 will be rotated clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 whereasthe actuator held in the player's right hand will be rotatedcounterclockwise when the ring 82 is pulled.

At the start of the game, the playing piece 88 which, in hockey, is asmall hard rubber puck, is dropped upon the board near the center by oneof the contestants, or someone else. Play then begins by the contestantsmoving their actuators beneath the desired two player pieces 38 of theirrespective teams. The game or player pieces 38 of each team are arrangedso that two of the players have their sticks 38 extending tothe rightand the other two to the left when the players are viewed face on. Onceplay has commenced, none of the player pieces 38 are engaged manually byeither contestant and said player pieces are moved only by the actuators44. Inasmuch as bar magnets 38 preferably are provided in the base ofeach player piece 38 and a bar magnet 82 is mounted in the head 54 ofeach actuator 44, the pushing of a head 44 cf an actuator beneath aplayer piece 38 will firmly attract the player piece to the head of theactuator so that the player pieces may be moved in any desired directionon the board by the actuator held by a contestant and, when it isdesired to shoot the puck 88 toward the goal, the ring 82 of theactuator is pulled by a contestant in order to rotate the player piece38 attracted to the actuator for purposes of swinging the stick 38 ofeach player piece and endeavoring to shoot the puck 88 into one of thegoals I8. y

The curved sides of th cylindrical base 32 of each player piece 38 willprevent the puck 88 from being moved any appreciable distance by contactof the base 32 with the puck, thus more closely simulating an actualhockey game. In other words, effective movement of the puck is achievedonly by. swinging the stick of the player piece into engagement with thepuck for purposes of shooting it as desired by the contestant. Collisionbetween the player pieces may on occasions cause an upset of one or bothbut the power of the magnets and the shapes of the bases 32 of theplayer pieces is such that they may be readily restored withoutrequiring the contestants to use their hands to do so. Further,collision between the heads 54 of the actuators beneath the game boardI2 is prevented to a great extent due to the fact that the normalposition of the head 54 of each actuator relative to the rod 48 thereofdisposes one of the shar corners 56 forwardly so as to comprise theleading end of the actuator and when two actuator heads collide beneaththe board, they will automatically be cammed or shunted apart.

The magnetic force in themagnets 812 as well as in the magnetizablepieces 38. if magnets are used for the latter. is such that the heads ofthe actuators will easily attract a desired player piece 38 to the headso that it may be moved and swung thereby but, when it is desired todisengage the head from one player piece and move it into magneticengagement with another player piece, only a very slight force isrequired to move the head 54 of the game piece away from contact withthe under surface of the game board and move it into magnetic engagementwith another player piece 38. Further, the polarity of the magnets 62 aswell as the magnetic attractable members 38, if magnetized, will serveto increase the magnetic attraction between the player pieces 38 and theheads 54 of the actuators especially when it is desired to swing theplayer pieces about the axis of the pintle 52 of each actuator.

Further, the left hand actuator 48 will have its magnetic polaritydisposed so that it will be used on the two players whose sticks projectto the left, as viewed from the rear of the player at the contestantsend of the game board, and the right hand actuator will have thepolarity of its magnet arranged to magnetically'engage the two playerswhose sticks project to the right as viewed from the rear of the playerat the contestants end of the game board. By this arrangement, when thehead 54 of each actuator is moved into magnetic engagement with one ofthe two player pieces to be engaged thereby, the stick of the playerpiece will be suitably disposed to swing in the desired direction uponpulling the ring 82 of the actuator so as to causethe cord Ill thereofto rotate the head 54 to swing the stick of the player piece. As soon asthe player piece has been swung, the release of the ring 02 will permitthe elastic member 14 of the actuator to restore the head 54 to itsnormal position which is controlled by the stop I thereof engaging theforward portion 12 of the actuator rodadjacent the pintle 52. By theexpression, releasing the ring, it is to be understood that'the ring isnot disengaged by the finger of the contestant but such release iscaused by the contestant merely bending his finger toward the outer endof the actuator so as to permit'the elastic member 14 to function.Notwithstanding the foregoing, any actuator can be properly used withany player piece, except that if a left-hand player piece is engaged bya right-hand actuator or vice versa, the player will be facing backwardto its normal position.

If desired, rules simulating actual ice hockey may be employed withsuitable slight innovations which may be required by the miniatureaspect of the game. In the event fouls occur, the offending player maybe manually removed from the board by one of the contestants for astipulated penalty period. Games may be played for normal ice hockeyperiods or any other length of periods agreed upon. Time may be kept,for example, by a stop watch as in actual ice hockey games. Scores arerecorded coveniently on the score board 28 and spirited realisticminiature games may be played with the apparatus described above to afar greater degree of enjoyment than has heretofore been possible withgames obtainable on the market, due particularly to the construction ofthe game apparatus of the present invention permitting the rotation ofthe game or player pieces 30 as to simulate an actual swinging of ahockey stick 3' and consequent shooting of the puck 88 as in a realisticgame.

A complete set of apparatus preferably includes a playing board l2, fourdetachable legs 24 with suction cups attached, four actuators 44 of,which two are left handed and two right handed, a total of eight playerpieces ll of which four are decorated to represent one team and fouranother team and two players of each team are arranged with their sticksprojecting to the left side while the other two have their sticksprojecting to the right side, a playing piece or puck 88, a pair ofgoals 18, and a score board 28. All of these may be compactly packagedin a suitable box of convenient dimensions and only a support such as acard table is needed in addition in order to permit a realisticminiature game of ice hockey to be played by two contestants. The legs24 are easily attached to the game board and a card table. The goals ll,if not permanently attached to the game board, may be easily amxedthereto and the score board 20 is readily clipped to one side of thegame board. The player pieces are disposed in conventional startingposition and the actuators are then held by the contestants as describedas the puck playing piece Cl is dropped onto the table for the start ofthe game.

While the player pieces have magnets bases thereof in the preferredembodiment of the invention, the polarity of the magnets is arrangedrelative to the stick ll so that when the player pieces are disposedwith their bases adjacent each other and their sticks in oppositedirections, the magnets repel each other. If the stick side of oneplayer piece is adjacent the opposite side of another player piece. theywould normally attract but the stick of the one player piece holds thepieces sumciently apart that no effective amount of magnetic attractiontakes place between them. Similarly, when the head of the actuators arein normal position relative to the handle supports thereof and the.right and left hand actuator heads should happen to contact beneath theboard l2, the polarity of the magnets 62 is arranged so that the headswill repel each other.

All components of the apparatus are rugged and durable as'wellas simple,whereby the manufacturing cost thereof is not great and the game boardand player pieces greatly simulate an actual hockey game in miniature.Further, the ends 22 of the game board are preferably formed oftransparent material such as methyl methacrylate strips so that if thepuck BI is shot to one end of the board, it may readily be seen throughthe ends 22 without requiring the contestant behind the end the leanforwardly in order to view the puck.

It is obvious that other games referred to above which require swingingof the player pieces to simulate actual play may be made in miniature toembody the principles of the present invention and the same are notrestricted to the ice hockey game described and illustrated in detailherein.

While the invention has been shown and illustrated in its severalpreferred embodiments, and has included certain details, it should beunderstood that the invention is not to be limited to the precisedetails herein illustrated and described since the same may be carriedout in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising in combination; an extended game board ofnon-metallic sheet material arranged to be positioned horizontally; agame piece movable upon the upper surface of said board, said game piecehaving a base provided with curved sides, a magnetizable member on saidbase substantially concentric with the vertical axis thereof, a pivotextending below the bottom plane of said base substantially centrallythereof, and playing piece engageable means extending laterally relativeto said base; a playing piece slidably movable upon the upper surface ofsaid game board and arranged to be engaged by the engageable means ofsaid game piece when the latter is rotated about its pivot; and a gamepiece actuator manually movable relative to the under surface of saidgame board and including a head having a magnet fixed thereto andarranged to attract the magnetizable member of said game piece, manuallyholdable means supporting said head and magnet for roin the -9 tatlon,and manually operable means connected to said head and arranged to beactuated to rotate said head and game piece attracted thereto at thewill of the operator, said game piece also being movable by saidactuator in various paths of movement within the plane of said gameboard.

2. A game apparatus comprising in combination; an extended game board ofnon-metallic sheet material arranged to be positioned horizontally; agame piece movable upon the upper surface-of said board, said game piecehaving a substantially cylindrical base, a bar magnet fixed to andextending substantially diametrically across said base adjacent thebottom thereof, a pivot extending below the bottom plane of said basesubstantially centrally thereof, and playing piece engageable meansextending radially outward relative to said base; a playing pieceslidably movable upon the upper surface of said game board and arrangedto be engaged by the engageable means of said game piece when the latteris rotated about its pivot; and a game piece actuator manually movablerelative to the under surface of said game board and including a headhaving a bar magnet fixed thereto and arranged to attract the bar magnetof said game piece, manually holdable means supporting said head andmagnet for rotationv about a normally vertical axis, and manuallyoperable means connected to said head and arranged to be actuated torotate said head and game piece attracted thereto at the will of theoperator, said game piece also being movable by said actuator in variouspaths of movement within the plane of said game board.

3. A game apparatus comprising in combina tion; an extended game boardof non-metallic sheet material arranged to be positioned hori: zontally;a game piece movable upon the upper surface of said board, said gamepiece having a circular base, a bar magnet fixed to and extendingsubstantially diametrically across said base adjacent the bottomthereof, a pivot extending below the bottom plane of said basesubstantially centrally thereof, and playing piece engageable meansextending radially outward relative to said base; a playing pieceslidably movable upon the upper surface of said game board and arrangedto be engaged by the engageable means of said game piece when the latteris rotated about its pivot; and a game piece actuator manually movablerelative to the under surface of said game board and including a headhaving a bar magnet fixed thereto and arranged to attract the bar magnetof said game piece, manually holdable means supporting said head andmagnet for rotation about a normally vertical axis, manually operablemeans connected to said head and arranged to be actuated to rotate saidhead and game piece attracted thereto in one direction, and elasticmeans operable to rotate said head and attracted game piece in thereverse direction, said game piece also being movable by said actuatorin various paths of movement within the plane of said game board. v

4. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having curved sides, amagnetically attractable member fixed to said base adjacent the bottomthereof, a pivot projecting below the bottom plane of said basesubstantially centrally thereof. and a playing piece engageable membersupported by said base and projecting substantially radially therefrom.

5. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having curved sides, abar magnet fixed to and extending substantially diametrically across tosaid head and said base adjacent the bottom thereof, a pivot projectingbelow the bottom plane of said base substantially centrally thereof, anda playing piece engageable member supported by said base and projectingsubstantially radially therefrom.

6. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having a substantiallycylindrical wall, a bar magnet fixed to and extending diametricallyacross said base within said wall adjacent the bottom edge thereof, apivot projecting below the bottom plane of said base substantiallycentrally thereof, and a playing piece engageable member supported bysaid base and projecting substantially radially therefrom.

7. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having a substantiallycylindrical wall, a bar magnet fixed to and extending diametricallyacross said base within said wall adjacent the bottom edge thereof, apivot fixed to said magnet medially thereof and projecting below theplane of the lower edge of said wall, and a playing piece engageablemember supported by said base and projecting substantially radiallytherefrom.

8. A game piece comprising in combination, a cup-shaped base, a barmagnet within said base and fixed to the bottom thereof and extendingdiametrically thereto, a pivot fixed to and'pro- Jecting below thebottom of said base substantially centrally thereof, and a playing pieceengageable member fixed relative to'said base and projectingsubstantially radially therefrom.

9. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdablehandle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about an axis fixedrelative to one end of said handle unit, a magnet fixed to said head andextending transversely across said axis, and manually operable meansinterconnected to said head and operable to rotate said head about saidaxis.

10. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manuallyholdablehandle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about anaxis extending transversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof,a-magnet fixed to said head and extending transversely across said axis,manually operable means'interconnected to said head and operable torotate said head in one direction about said axis, and means operableautomatically upon release of said manually operable means to rotatesaid head and magnet in the opposite direction.

11. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdablehandle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about an axisextending transversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof, said headbeing substantially quadrangular in plan view and one angular cornerthereof normally extending forwardly relative to said one end of saidhandle unit, a magnet fixed extending transversely across said axis, andmanually operable means interconnected to said head and operable torotate said head about said axis.

12. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdablehandle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about an axisextending transversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof, a barmagnet fixed to said head and extending substantially thereacro-ss andtransversely to said axis, friction decreasing means on the upper faceof said bar magnet, and

manually operable means interconnected to said 1i bination, a manuallyholdable handle unit, a

head pivotally supported for movement about an axis extendingtransversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof. a magnet fixed tosaid head Y and extending thereaeross transversely to said uallyoperable means to on release of said m2 rotate said head and agnet inthe opposite direction. and a stop arranged to stop said automaticrotation of said head upon the retu thereofto its said normal position.14. Algame piece actuator comprising in combinationfa manually/Jholdablehandle unit including a shaft having a pivot pintle extendingtransversely thereto [at one end and normally held vertically inoperative position and a handle at the other end of said shaft, a headsupported by said pivot pintle tor rotation in opposite directionstherearoun an elongated magnet supported by the uppe end or said headand extending transversely: across the axis or said pintle, elasticmeans normally biasing said head for rotation in one direction, andmanually actuatable means operable to ro tatesaid head in the oppositedirection against the action of said elastic means.

15. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdablehandle unit including a shaft having one end bent to extend transverselythereto to comprise a pintle and the other end or the shaft having ahandle thereon, a head provided with a hub supported by said pintle forrotation References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number" Name Date 1,858,020 Linke May 10, 1932 2,318,169 RockMay 4, 1943 2,492,423

Gray Dec. 27, 1949 in opposite directions therearound, a bar magnetfixed to the upper end oi

